Portable picnic bench with table top back



July 8, 1958 C. FORTINE PORTABLE PICNIC BENCH WITH TABLE TOP BACK Filed April 11, 1957 Charles w//////////; s mv T01 orizn'e Unite atent PORTABLE PrcNrc BENCH wrrrr TABLE Tor BACK Charles Fortine, Masury, Ohio Application April 11, 1957, Serial No. 652,191

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-124) This invention relates to portable furniture and more particularly to a portable bench and table construction that may be used for various purposes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable bench and table assembly that may be conveniently used as an outdoor bench or a table and bench and may readily be disassembled and stored in a very small storage area.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an assembly of the above type having means for converting the assembled unit to a single bench and has means for attaching an auxiliary bench thereto to provide a table and four seats in a very simple and eiiicient manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a portable furniture construction bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combination bench and table device made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the main bench of the device shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a combination bench and table device made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a pair of tubular main frames 12, each of which has a longitudinally extending base leg 13. A pair of auxiliary frames 14, each having a base leg 15, are adapted to be detachably assembled with the main frames of the assembly. A T-coupling 16 may be interposed between the base legs 13, 15, of the main and auxiliary frames to secure the parts together. An intermediate portion 18 of the auxiliary frame is provided with a U-shaped coupling member 19 in which the bifurcated legs thereof are each provided with a downwardly opening slot 20, as shown in Figure 5.

A pair of support legs 22 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to one end of the table top 28, such as by pivot members 29. The U-shaped couplings 19 of the auxiliary frame are adapted to receive the lower portion of the legs 22 which also include outwardly extending studs 21 that are received within the slots 20 thereof.

2 Wing nuts 23 that are associated with the studs 21 provide means for releasably securing the parts together. The upper portions of the auxiliary frames 14 also support a transversely extending seat 25 that is provided with longitudinally and laterally, spaced bearings 26 which rotatably receive the adjacent portions of the auxiliary frames 14. Thus, when not assembled with the main frames, the auxiliary frames 14 may be rotated inwardly into a collapsed position with the seat 25. A pair of diagonally downwardly extending braces 27 are operative to maintain the auxiliary-frames 14 and seat 25 in the assembled position shown in Figure 1.

The table top 28 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending sills 33, each ofwhich has an outwardly directed slot 32 at each end. When in the erected position shown in Figure 1, the slots 32 at the forward end of the table top 28 are engaged with inwardly extending studs 34 carried at the upper ends of the main frames 12. The lower ends of the support legs 22 are slidably received within cut-outs 30 in the T-couplings 16 that connect the main and auxiliary frames together. The intermediate portion of the main frame 12 are also provided with upwardly opening sockets 39 that are adapted to removably receive downwardly extending lugs 3'7 carried by the under surface of the seat 36. A pair of diagonally extending braces 41 that are also carried by the seat 36 are releasably engaged with upwardly extending lugs 42 on the base legs 13 of the main frame 12, thereby maintaining the main frames 12 in the upright position and preventing them from collapsing.

In the position shown in Figure 1, the device very efiiciently serves as a table and four seats for adults. If desired, the auxiliary seat and frames 25, 14, respectively, may be detached from the device so as to provide a table arranged to seat two people on the main bench 36. If desired, the auxiliary frames 14 may be removed and the legs 22 released from the T-couplings 16, whereupon the table top 28 may be rotated to the position 28a shown in Figure 1. In that position, the table top 28 functions as a back rest for two persons that may sit upon the main seat 36. It will be recognized that in the back rest position 28a, the forward end of the table top is supported upon rigidly secured brackets 35 adjacent to the lower base legs 13 of the main frame. The slots 32 at the rear end of the table top are then engaged with the inwardly extending studs 34 of the main frames 14 and releasably secured thereto by the wing nuts 38. I

Of course, when not in use, all of the parts can'he folded or placed in a fiat position, thereby requiring a minimum amount of storage space. On the other hand, the bench and table may also be erected to any of the aforementioned positions in a very quick and eflicient manner, all elements and parts being secured by bolts and wing nuts to facilitate these operations.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination table and bench construction comprising, in combination, a pair of main side frames, each one of said side frames having a lower base leg adapted to be supported upon the ground, a table top pivotally supported at one end upon an upper portion of said side frames, a pair of support legs pivotally connected at one end to the opposite end of said table top, and a coupling 2,842,185 3 4 carried by each of said base legs of said side frames for prising a seat extending across said auxiliary frames interreleasably receiving the opposite ends of said support mediate the upper and lower extremities thereof. legs, said main side frames including means for supporting a seat intermediate said base legs and said upper por- References Cited in the file of this patent tions, said side frames each including a bracket adjacent to said base leg for releasably engaging said one end of UNITED STATES PATENTS said table top when rotated downwardly about said oppo- 1,641,010 Peterson Aug. 30, 1927 site end, and a pair of auxiliary frames releasably secured 2,102,261 Fotre Dec. 14, 1937 to the free ends of said main side frames, said auxiliary frames having coupling means for releasably engaging 10 FOREIGN PATENTS said support legs. 145,526 Australia Mar. 3, 1952 2. The combination according to claim 1, further com- 337,749 Germany June 7, 1921 

